Romeo and Juliet

[ceebeegee]

I have wanted to do this play for a while, but have hesitated because there are so few juicy roles for women--the Nurse and Juliet, and that's pretty much it. (Another reason is that you need a SET for R&J, you really can't do it outside.) I always thought, if Holla Holla did do it, I would cast Mercutio as a woman, perhaps in love with Romeo which would shed some light on Mercutio's later actions. But looking through the character list, I might be able to convert some other roles:

Prince Escalus: Prince of Verona--could easily be a Princess.

Benvolio: Cousin of Romeo--I can't remember much about what he does, but could this be cast as a woman?

The Chorus--definitely.

I don't want to mix it up too much, because with R&J I feel there's a lot of testosterone in it--that the feud is so senselessly murderous that on some level it's a dick-measuring contest. So I don't want to cross-cast Tybalt or Paris or the servants who mix it up at the beginning.

Comments

[nppyinzer.livejournal.com]

My recollection is that Benvolio starts the fight that leads off Act I ("I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, I do but merely bite my thumb").

In my testosterone-having opinion, you can't cross-cast both Benvolio and Mercutio, because Romeo needs at least one "guy friend" to listen to him get all poetical and shit about how in twue wub he is.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

That's a good point. It's been awhile since I've read it--forgot exactly who Benvolio was.

I don't think he starts off the fight though--aren't those a few servants?

[nppyinzer.livejournal.com]

My recollection is based entirely on the Reduced Shakespeare Company, so you're probably right.